Quantitative evaluation of hindlimb ischemia is essential for early diagnosis and therapy of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Dynamic imaging using near-infrared (NIR) fluorophore indocyanine green (ICG) is a noninvasive and effective tool to monitor multiple vascular parameters including perfusion rate (PR), perfusion vascular density (PVD) and hemodynamics. It has been previously demonstrated that temperature changes could lead to significant variations of blood flow rate and vascular perfusion. In this paper, multiparametric evaluation of hindlimb ischemia was performed at different temperatures...

OBJECTIVES: Food insecurity, defined as the limited or uncertain availability of nutritious and safe foods, is a complex phenomenon and is linked to poor nutrition and diet-sensitive chronic diseases. Dietary patterns that include saturated fats and meat products are potential risk factors for the progression of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This study explored whether there is a relationship between food insecurity and PAD among a national sample of older adults. DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional data analysis using data from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)...

BACKGROUND: Individuals with peripheral artery disease (PAD) often have reduced physical activity, which may increase the future risk of diabetes mellitus. Although diabetes is a risk factor for PAD, whether low ankle-brachial index (ABI) predates diabetes has not been studied. METHODS: We examined the association of ABI with incident diabetes using Cox proportional hazards models in the ARIC Study. ABI was measured in 12,247 black and white participants without prevalent diabetes at baseline (1987-1989)...

Whereas several in vitro and in vivo studies have described the role of lysosomal associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP2) in lipid homeostasis, there is no study addressing LAMP2 serum concentration and its association with lipid profiles in the context of coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to determine the LAMP2 serum concentration and its association with serum lipid profiles as well as the gene expression of LAMP2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of CAD patients and control group. Circulating levels of LAMP2 were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in CAD patients (n=85) and control group (n=65) and correlation to lipid parameters was assessed...

BACKGROUND: Many disease entities, including coronary artery disease (CAD), demonstrate abnormalities in the activity of cholinesterases. As CAD is characterized by an increase in cholesterol level, patients with this disease are treated with lipid-lowering drugs. The present study attempts to determine how statin or combined statin and ezetimibe therapy influences cholinesterase activity. METHODS: Plasma and erythrocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood of CAD patients (n=61) and healthy subjects (n=63)...

Podiatry is the science dealing with the diagnostics and treatment of the foot and ankle and associated tissues and structures by all appropriate methods and also with the local manifestation of the overall processes in this area. Diabetic foot disease is defined as infection, ulceration or destruction of tissues of the foot associated with neuropathy and/or peripheral artery disease in the lower extremity of people with diabetes according to the latest edition of the International Consensus. Successful treatment and prevention of diabetic foot syndrome depends on a holistic approach, in which it is seen as part of the multiple organ involvement...

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Critical hand ischemia (CHI) can be devastating and may result in amputation. Distal vessel calcification has been shown to be a major factor in causing CHI. Atherectomy in the upper extremities is not typically considered due to the small anatomy; however, the Diamondback 360° Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy System (OAS) (Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.) can access treatment areas with a reference vessel diameter of 1.5mm. METHODS/MATERIALS: A retrospective, observational, single center (Merit Health Center, Jackson, MS) analysis of 11 CHI patients with calcific disease of the radial artery treated with orbital atherectomy (OAS) was completed...

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: The objective was to determine the prevalence and clinical determinants of renal artery stenosis (RAS) in patients undergoing digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for the assessment of peripheral artery disease (PAD), and to evaluate its prognostic significance. METHODS: All DSAs performed from January 2000 to January 2006 were retrospectively reviewed for assessment of PAD in patients naive for any prior revascularisation of lower-limb arteries...

The cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) and peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) are related to mortality in hemodialysis patients. However, data on the association between PAOD and CTR are limited. In this study, we aim to elucidate this relationship in patients on chronic hemodialysis. Using a retrospective cross-sectional study of 622 Taiwanese patients, we investigated the association of PAOD and CTR. PAOD was significantly associated with CTR in the crude analysis. The odds ratio (OR) for CTR >0.5 was 1...

Progressive impairment of renal function can lead to uremia, which is associated with thus increasing the risk of bleeding as well as thrombosis. Furthermore, many patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have an indication for an anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy due to atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, thromboembolic disease, or peripheral artery disease. The treatment usually includes vitamin-K antagonists (VKAs) and/or platelet aggregation inhibitors. The direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) inhibiting factor Xa or thrombin activity represent an alternative for heparins and VKAs...

Objective: To compare perioperative outcome of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) between diabetic and non-diabetic patients and discuss the safety of CEA in diabetic patients. Methods: A total of 572 patients with carotid stenosis who underwent CEA from Juanuary 2006 to September 2014 in Peking Union Medical Colloge Hospital were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The patients were distributed into diabetes mellitus (DM) group and non-DM group according to the comorbidities. Their baseline characteristics, intraoperative index and major complications in perioperative period were analyzed and compared...

Bypass surgery(BSX) and endovascular therapy(EVT) are the most important therapeutic method to critical limb ischemia.EVT has potential advantages in reducing surgical trauma and early postoperative complications, shortening hospital stay and so on. Concerning long-term results, BSX is better in reducing long-term mortality and improving long-term patency than EVT group. Therefore, control indications reasonably and select individualized methods, avoid the abuse of EVT are more meaningful for patients.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between hyperuricemia and different neuropsychiatric manifestations and stroke risk factors in systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. METHODS: This study was conducted on 204 SLE patients who were admitted to a tertiary referral center. A standardized questionnaire was completed for all the participants and the medical records were reviewed regarding the occurrence of arterial or venous thrombotic events, stroke, seizure, depression, headache, psychosis, and peripheral neuropathy...

INTRODUCTION: Epidermal grafting has several advantages over full-thickness or split-thickness grafts in the treatment of complex non-healing wounds. These include the low risk of donor site complications, minimal patient discomfort, and abstention from the operating room. Traditionally, the lack of reliable epidermal harvesting techniques has limited its clinical utilization. The development of an automated suction blister epidermal graft (SBEG) harvesting device may facilitate clinical utilization of this technique...

OBJECTIVES: All patients with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (LE-PAD) should benefit from recommended pharmacologic therapies including antiplatelet agents, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors (statins). In the present study, this triple therapy was defined as the best medical treatment. This study was designed to determine the number of patients who received best medical treatment at admission and at discharge from a vascular surgery department...

BACKGROUND: The goal of carotid artery stenting (CAS) is to decrease the stroke risk in patients with carotid stenosis. This procedure carries an immediate risk of stroke and death and many patients do not benefit from it, especially asymptomatic patients. Patient selection for carotid procedure who benefit from procedure and who is the procedure hazardous for is important. Remote ischemic stroke is known risk factor for stroke reccurence during surgery. The aim of our study was to determine the periprocedural complication risk (within 30 days after CAS) associated with carotid stenting (stroke, death) between patients with remote pre- procedural ischemic stroke and without it; to analyse periprocedural risk in other specific patient subgroups treated with CAS and to determine the impact of observed variables on all- cause mortality during long-term follow-up...

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is defined by the simultaneous occurrence of hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury due to thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) mainly occurring in renal and cerebral microvessels. Although the most common cause of HUS in children is Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, atypical forms in which Shiga toxin is not the trigger may occur. Research over the last few years has shown that complement dysregulation secondary to mutations of genes coding for proteins involved in the regulation of the alternative pathway of complement account for most forms of atypical HUS (aHUS)...